Simply a hello - 1 month until restoration is complete

[PaulyV]

Hi to all.

As I am soon to be an MR2 mk1 driver I will doubtless be asking many a question on here in 2014.

Picked up an ebay MOT failure earlier in the year and my local garage will be getting it back on the road for me and ensuring it has a fine appearance too. F reg T-bar in red - soon to be shiny red.

I shall keep it under wraps until ready but hopefully a picture can be added to this thread in mid-December. Bought the car on a whim and have actually never driven an MR2 - when I pick it up will be my first experience and I cannot wait to get some classic like RIO on the stereo to mark the occasion and hear that engine behind me. Previously had an MG ZS180 and before that a BMW E30 318i - looking forward to getting back to RWD.

Speak soon no doubt.

Pauly

[PaulyV]

Hi everyone,

Finally got the car back from partial restoration. A little history:

Picked up this '87 example in a pretty poor state back in May. It had been off the road for about 18 months and was sat in a field - 4 flat tyres, ripped interior, rust, MOT failure...the usual.

Recently it has been restored to a pretty fine state (if I do say so myself), thanks to a local garage, with the following being only some of the work done this month:

New exhaust
Replacement front wings
Replacement factory leather interior
Rebuilt rear arches
Copious welding
Full service
New handbrake cable
Alloy wheels refurbished
Partial respray
Compound polish
New bonnet badge
New tyres

It was delivered back to me on Monday. I bought the car on a whim for very little, thinking it deserved better, and as mentioned I had never driven an MR2 of any variety until Monday evening when I took it out on the road. It drives great and tonight I am looking forward to a run in the dry for a change. On the plus side I didn't experience any leaking of the T-Bar even in very heavy rain during a 2 hour run last night.

Only down side is that one front wing is a slightly different shade as it has aged differently, and I need to replace the side stripes. More pictures to come, but I thought it time to introduce the car to the community - another one saved from the scrapheap.

First impressions? A far more refined car than I was expecting for its age. Not so much get up and go power but it really hustles once you crank up the revs and hear that wonderful 1.6 behind you. Plenty more learning for me to undertake in order to get the most out of it.

I am in East London so give me a wave if you see me about.

Pauly

[AndyB]

Looks really nice Pauly, I'm sure that you'll enjoy it! I have a car that sounds more like yours when you first got it, so I may pm you for more details on some more details and maybe (if you don't mind?) some price info.

[Jag150]

Looks fantastic. How did you get a replacement factory leather interior?

[PaulyV]

Hi there,

Thanks for the kind comments. AndyB - happy to tell you whatever I can. I have to be honest and say that I didn't do the work myself - I don't have the time or the skills, but I did find someone reliable and honest and can advise on the costs I incurred. I can assure you it was worth the spend. Jag150 - not a new replacement leather interior, however it is in a very fine state and is really comfortable - what wonderful seats they made back in the 80's. I am going to get that front wing sorted as to be honest I am rather disappointed with it (although the old one had a huge hole in it so I should not complain), but not until the spring - let's let the winter weather do its worst.

Did my first shop in it today - food and a sports car - can't be bad.

[superwhite90]

Is it me or is the front drivers wing a different shade of red?

[phaeton]

I did think that but put it down to the lighting. But cracking car none the less

Alan...

[PaulyV]

Is it me or is the front drivers wing a different shade of red?

You guys wanna read my second post again

"Only down side is that one front wing is a slightly different shade as it has aged differently"

[phaeton]

I didn't read the drool was getting in the way

Alan...

[PaulyV]

...and my first day of actually seeing the car in the daylight.